We have liftoff!

The 2007 Guatemala Mission Trip delegation arrived at the Louisville airport this morning shortly after 5:00 for an almost on-time departure. Everyone made it! (The Van Marter/Stimson gang thanks Ted Trautwein for the ride.) We were joined for our departing prayer by Ben Langley, Phil and Claudia Rich, Brad and Kara Castleberry and Carlos Lara-Gabb.

Jane and Carlos -- in English and Spanish -- read a poem and led us in prayer. The poem is entitled "Indian Tapestry" and was written by Julia Esquivel for her book, Threatened with Resurrection.

When I go up to the HOUSE OF THE OLD WEAVER,
I watch in admiration
at what comes forth from her mind:
a thousand designs being created
and not a single model from which to copy
the marvelous cloth
with which she will dress
the companion of the True and Faithful One.

Men always ask me
to give the name of the label,
to specify the maker of the design.
But the Weaver cannot be pinned down
by desings,
nor patterns.
All of her weavings
are originals, there are no repeated patterns.
Her mind is beyond
all foresight.
Her able hands do not accept
patterns nor models.
Whatever comes forth, comes forth,
but she who is will make it.

The colors of her threads
are firm:
blood,
sweat,
perseverance,
tears,
struggle, and hope.
Colors that do not fade
with time.

The children of the children
of our children
will recognize the seal
of the Old Weaver.
Maybe then
it will receive a name.
But as a model,
it can never again
be repeated.

Each morning I have seen
how her fingers
choose the threads
one by one.
Her loom makes no noise
and men
give it no importance,
Nonetheless,
the design
that emerges from Her Mind
hour after hour
will appear in the threads
of many colors,
in figures and symbols
which no one, ever again,
will be able to erase
or undo.

Jane reminded us that in Guatemala we will see rich tapestries of color -- in the fabrics of the people and in the people themselves. God, the Great Weaver, has created it all and beckons us to pay attention, to appreciate it, embrace it, and treasure it all as part of God's good creation.

May God be with us here (which right now is the Charlotte airport, waiting for our connecting flight). May God be with you there.

Welcome to the CHPC Guatemala Blog!

Greetings and welcome to your virtual participation in the 2007 Guatemala Mission Trip. Throughout our week in Guatemala, Jerry Van Marter (with help from other mission trippers) will be posting words and Ian Husk (with help from other mission trippers) will be posting photographs.
Our desire is to bring CHPC to our Guatemalan brothers and sisters and to bring our Guatemalan brothers and sisters to all CHPCers.
We'd love to hear your "real-time" responses to what you see here, so please feel free to respond.
May God be with us there and may God be with you here.

(left to right in photo at right) Ben Langley (not going, alas and alack), Ian Husk, Doug Yeager, Stephanie Gregory, Luke Van Marter, Perry Chang, Ada Asenjo-Bartlett, Jane Larsen Wigger, Vince Mathews, Sandra Duverge, Kate Husk, Gabe Duverge, Soni Castleberry, Douglass Yeager, Eva Stimson, Natalie Rich, Rachel Van Marter, Andrea Pauw, Daniela Bartlett, Jerry Van Marter.